The difference in ease of excavation is due to the following
circumstance. Herculaneum being several miles nearer the crater,
was buried in a far more consistent substance, seemingly composed of
volcanic ashes cemented by mud; Pompeii, on the contrary, was
buried only in ashes and loose stones. The casts of statues found in
Herculaneum show the plastic character of the material that fell there,
which time has hardened to rock-like consistency.
These statues represented Hercules and Cleopatra, and the theatre proved
to be that of the long-lost city of Herculaneum. The site of Pompeii was
not discovered until forty years afterward, but work there proved far
easier than at Herculaneum, and more progress was made in bringing it
back to the light of day.
The less solid covering of Pompeii has greatly facilitated the work of
excavation, and a great part of the city has been laid bare. Many of its
public buildings and private residences are now visible, and some whole
streets have been cleared, while a multitude of interesting relics have
been found. Among those are casts of many of the inhabitants, obtained
by pouring liquid plaster into the ash moulds that remained of them.
We see them to-day in the attitude and with the expression of agony and
horror with which death met them more than eighteen centuries ago.
In succeeding eruptions much lava was poured out; and in A. D. 472,
ashes were cast over a great part of Europe, so that much fear was
caused at Constantinople.
Pages:
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278